1. Technical Field
Generally, the invention relates to a wirenut driver. Particularly, the invention relates to a wirenut driver which is used to attach a wirenut onto a plurality of wires for electrically connecting the wires together. Even more particularly, the invention relates to a wirenut driver which receives various sizes and shapes of wirenuts for easily screwing the wirenuts to the plurality of wires using a ratchet motion.
2. Background Information
Wirenuts are used to conductively connect or tie together a plurality of wires. Typically, these wirenuts are used during the installation of lights, electrical switches, electrical outlets, etc. Conventional wirenuts include an outer plastic cap having a ribbed outer surface to facilitate manual twisting thereof. The wirenut is formed with an open bottom end which provides access to a tapered metal insert. The metal insert is attached to the inner surface of the wirenut and is formed with a threaded inner surface. The user aligns an exposed conductive end of each of the wires and inserts the wires into the open end of the wirenut. The user manually screws the wirenut onto the ends of the wires with the threaded inner surface of the metal insert engaging the conductive ends of the wires to electrically connect the wires together and secure the wirenut to the ends of the connected wires. The non-conductive plastic cap of the wirenut prevents the electrical wires from contacting other wires or metal parts within the lighting fixture, switch or electrical outlet.
One problem which exists when installing these wirenuts is that the user must use two hands to gather and align the wires. The user must then take one hand away from the wires to reach for and obtain a wirenut. While the user is reaching for a wirenut of the correct size, the plurality of aligned wires may separate from one another requiring the user to regroup and realign the wires.
Also, these wirenuts are relatively small size making the wirenut difficult to handle. The user will occasionally drop the wirenut during the installation or removal thereof. This is particularly a problem while connecting wires of a ceiling fan or overhead light, for example. The user must stand on a ladder while reaching above his or her head to group, align and connect the wires together with a wirenut. If the user drops the wirenut, the user must climb down the ladder to retrieve the dropped wirenut or to obtain new wirenut, climb back up the ladder and regroup and realign the wires before installing the wirenut.
Further, these wirenuts must be manually screwed to the wires with the user's hands. When installing a large number of wirenuts at one time, the relatively sharp ribs of the wirenut will irritate the user's hands often causing blistering of the user's thumb and fingers.
Therefore, the need exists for a wirenut driver which frictionally holds a wirenut and prevents a user from dropping the wirenut during the installation or removal thereof, and which allows the user to easily screw the wirenut onto a plurality of wires using a ratchet motion.